Random fics!
by Firefrost143
Summary: I finally decided to upload these here! Each story may feature one song throughout it, and mainly they will be on the Legend of Zelda. Rated T because I'm paranoid. I own nothing.
1. Volga x Link

Link sat alone, barely paying attention to the meeting Zelda had called to discuss battle tactics. He knew what her final strategy would be: him battling Cia and defeating her with the Master Sword. He was sick of it.

Every time he tried to get a break, something important would come up and he'd have to deal with it, and Zelda... Well, she had her own issues to go through, being the Princess of Hyrule.

He stared down at his own hands, hands that had killed thousands. With the growing threat, thousands would follow, and he was tired of all the death. Too many had been lost already.

"Link?"

The hero looked up at Zelda, who, along with Impa and all the other captains, was watching him, concerned.

"Are you alright?"

Link shook his head, lowering it once again, "I don't know how much longer I can go on like this."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean that I can't do this. I can't be the one who has to solve everything. I never asked to be the Hero in the first place!" Link couldn't prevent his outburst, clapping a hand over his mouth as it left his lips. He glanced between the commanders, seeing them all staring at him in shock. Link turned on his heel and fled.

The Hero ran as fast as his legs would carry him, away from Zelda, away from his own responsibilities. He found himself drenched from the hammering rain pouring down on him, mud staining his boots. He slowed only to untie Epona and swing himself onto her back

Together, horse and Hylian raced away from the camp. Link clung to Epona's mane, trusting her to take him anywhere but where he was constantly relied on. The hero buried his head in Epona's neck, a single tear sliding down his cheek. A crash of thunder boomed over his head and the brown mare let out a frightened whinny from the volume.

Louder still boomed the thunder, but Link only pushed Epona faster. Hyrule Field was long gone and he was swiftly approaching the Eldin Caves. A flash of lightning crashed behind Epona and she let out a shrieking neigh of fear, tossing the green-clad hero into the mud and fleeing back towards the camp.

Link pushed himself up, the soaked ground making him slip several times. His limbs dragging from exhaustion, he hauled himself into the entrance of the caves, shivering violently. Another flash of electricity lit up the cavern, revealing him to another hidden in the darkness.

"Hero?"

The boy swung around staring at the scarlet dragon knight sitting on a rock not far from him. Shocked, Link staggered backwards, colliding with the stone wall.

"What are you doing here? And alone?"

"I could ask you the same question, Volga," Link scowled, pushing away from the wall, staring out over the field.

"I came here to escape from Cia and her rants. I see you came to do something similar, correct?"

"Is it that obvious?" Link slumped down quietly on the stone.

Volga sighed, crouching beside the hero, the dark cloak around his shoulders dragging on the ground. In the light of the storm, Link watched him closely, ready to fight if he needed to.

"What did you run from?"

Link turned his head away, not wanting the dragon to see the tears cutting through the mud covering his face, "Why would you care? We're enemies."

"On the battlefield perhaps. But now, when Cia is giving me a little freedom from the spell she put on me, I don't want to fight you."

" A spell?"

The dragon nodded miserably, "She came with Poes and countless minions at her disposal, and when she discovered that Wizzro, I had little chance of defeating her. She used her magic to force me into servitude, and now... Now, I can't gain any freedom on my own."

Link fell silent, head hung low. Volga's story had hit him hard and he immediately vowed to free the dragon as soon as possible. He let out a low sigh.

"I never asked to be the hero. I'm still just a kid, if you go by experience. All I did was follow my gut into that first battle, thinking I was doing what I should. I only wanted to be a soldier, not a legendary hero like this."

The dragon knight stared at the hero, watching as his walls came tumbling down. The rain hammered down outside, the thunder crashing over and over. Link pulled his knees up to his chest, hugging them tight. A small glow down a nearby tunnel caught Volga's eye.

"Hide."

Link quickly dived behind the rocky entrance, taking shelter under an overhang of stone. Heels clacked on the petrified ground, and he immediately recognised her.

Cia.

"I heard voices, Volga. Who were you talking to?"

Link could practically hear the strain in Volga's voice as he resisted the sorceress' control, "Only myself, Mistress."

"Don't lie to me, dragon. Who. Were. You. Talking. To."

The Hero let out a near-silent growl of hatred as Volga sank to the ground, one hand clutching his head, "I told you, myself!"

"Liar!" Cia struck him hard across the face, throwing him to the ground with a thud, "I can feel their presence. Come out, whoever you are, unless you want this man battered like the useless scum he is."

"No!"

The Hero stared at Volga, who was struggling to his feet. The attack had drained him, and it was taking all his willpower to fight the purple-clad witch's control. A tiny line of blood streaked across his cheek.

"I won't wait all night. Show yourself."

Link let out a quiet sigh and stepped into the entrance of the cave. Cia laughed a little, flicking her staff at Volga and making the whip crack over his back.

"Link, my dear boy. I would never have expected you to mingle with lowlifes like this," again, the sorceress snapped the whip at the dragon knight, earning a pained groan. All Link wanted to do was run to his side and comfort him.

Almost silently, Volga looked over his shoulder at the Hero, "Run."

"Not if that means leaving you to this fate," Link's fists clenched and he charged at Cia, who knocked him down with ease. Link landed hard on the rock beside Volga, who pulled himself over and pushed the Hero to his feet.

"You must leave. I'll be fine until you return."

"I can't abandon you, Volga."

Cia launched herself at the pair, and the dragon grasped her sceptre, wrestling back and forth with her, "Go!"

Terrified, acting on instinct once again, Link sprinted out of the cavern, pausing only to look over his shoulder at the fearsome battle between sorceress and dragon knight. Volga's face was already starting to bruise, especially around his left eye, but he didn't relent in his battle.

"Go!"

Automatically, Link's legs kicked into overdrive, more tears spilling down his face constantly as he ran. He tried to block out the howls of agony coming from the cave, stumbling in the mud. About halfway across Hyrule Field, soaked to the bone by the storm, the Hero collapsed, weighed down by sorrow and guilt. The sodden soil stained his skin, coating him in a brown film. Slowly the world faded into darkness, and the last thing Link saw was someone riding towards him.

Hours later, Link awoke to find himself back in his tent in the Hyrulian camp. He groaned softly, barely aware of his surroundings. Zelda was sat beside him.

"Link... You gave us quite a scare last night. First you run off to who-knows-where, then Epona returns without you, then Impa finds you collapsed in the middle of the field! What happened?"

Link could barely speak, but explained as best he could. He told her of his stress, his conversation with Volga and how the dragon had defended him from Cia.

"He saved me, Zelda, and now Cia most likely is abusing him because of it. Please, we have to help him."

The princess stared at the hero, confused, "You must be delirious, Link. Volga wouldn't do anything like that."

The green-clad boy looked at her in shock, "The only reason he is part of Cia's army is because she put a spell on him to make him obey her! He doesn't have any freedom, Zelda, and if you won't help me save him, then I'll do it alone."

Three weeks later, Link stumbled through Eldin Caves once again, searching for Volga. The battle with Cia had drained his energy to the point of nearly forcing him to collapse under his own weight. He found the dragon knight asleep, imprisoned in his own home, battered and bruised.

"Volga? Volga, talk to me."

Slowly, the dragon shifted, rolling onto his side to face the boy, "Hero?"

Link smashed the lock on the cell, discovering a burst of energy he didn't know he had. He gathered the dragon up in his arms, gently supporting his head. Volga's helmet was gone, exposing bright blonde hair and startling green eyes, though one was swollen shut. He winced a bit from the boy's touched on his wounded back.

"You came back?"

"Of course I did."

Link gently rested his forehead against the dragon knight, ignoring the blood pouring from an open slash in his own chest. The Hero let Volga lean against him.

"They didn't believe me, you know. I had to come alone."

"I didn't expect anyone to understand what she did," Volga laughed dryly, pressing a hand over the bleeding wound, slowing the flow a little. Link let out a groan of pain as exhaustion once again overwhelmed him.

"You really need to rest, hero."

A tiny tear slipping down his face, Link let himself fall onto the dragon's bruised chest. One hand grasped another covered in scarlet, and the boy was quickly asleep. Volga sighed and let a tear of his own trickle onto the ground beside him. That wound could be fatal if he didn't act quickly.

But to Link, it wouldn't matter anyway.

Because he had kept his oath.


	2. Link, Volga, Ghirahim Part 1

Link whimpered in pain. He had been out exploring the caves in the forest he lived in, and a rockslide had pinned his leg to the floor. Agony lanced up his limb every time he tried to move it. Because he lived alone, he had never met anyone who would help him.

He remembered his mother carrying him when he was about 5. She had taught him how to survive in the wild from an early age, and even now, at the tender age of 7 years old, he had become a master of the forest. Two years prior, something had attacked their home, Ordon Village, as she, wounded as she was, had carried him into the forest, where she died of blood loss. He had wept for days after, before building her a grave of stones near to where his little den was. He had been orphaned ever since.

His tiny village had been full of Hylians like himself, along with many with powers unimaginable to most. Some could manipulate the elements to their will, some could conjure up whatever they wanted from thin air (within reason), some could melt into the shadows and twist the darkness to do what they wanted. They were the reason his town was attacked. The world saw them as deadly, and the ones with powers were hunted like dogs. It didn't matter if there were Hylians living in the area, the sanctuaries were attacked and destroyed nonetheless.

Not too long ago, Link had seen two boys slightly older than him, one in red, one in white, playing around in the forest. He knew there was civilization in the area, but he was afraid to show his face in fear of... well, being around people for the first time in two years.

The small blonde boy yelped as the rock holding his leg shifted, crushing it more. The bone must have already snapped in several places. He let out a loud shriek of pain and horror.

"Somebody help me!"

Meanwhile, the same two boys from before, Volga the young dragon knight and Ghirahim the demon child, were chasing each other through the tree. Every now and again, Volga would fly off a little way, before flipping back over his best friend's head and picking him up from behind. The pair had been close since they had met 5 years before, when Volga had first arrived at the orphanage Ghirahim was given to as a baby. The dragon had been so shy, scared of most things around him, but most of all, scared of himself. The story was he had lost control of his power over fire when his town was attacked, and had burned his home to the ground. He had fled, finding himself on the doorstep of the orphanage, run by Impa Sheikah and her nephew Sheik. they had quickly taken him in and the first friend he made among the children was Ghirahim. Now, they couldn't be separated. They messed around together, trained together (which was part of each day, along with regular lessons, like maths), stood up to people together, did everything together. If one ended up in trouble, the other would take some of the blame even if it wasn't their fault. They would have tiny conversations during class, laughing quietly at a remark from the other. Ghirahim would sometimes play pranks on Volga, catching him off guard with a handful of cream to the face, or painting something on his arm when the dragon fell asleep during class. Their favourite place to mess around was the forest,

Ghirahim burst into fits of laughter as his best friend grabbed him from behind and put him on his back. Being half dragon, Volga possessed immense strength, and could easily help anyone who was stuck under a collapsed tree or something similar. Heck, he had even rescued Ghirahim several times.

"Volga, there's caves down there! Let's go explore them!"

The dragon laughed and carried to demon down to the ground, "Well, what are we waiting for? Let's go!"

Two minutes later, the unlikely pair were climbing over rocks, using Volga's dragonfire to light their way.

"I've never seen stalactites so big!" Ghirahim flicked one of said rock formations, laughing.

"Me neither," Volga chuckled, breathing in the stony air, "But there's something different, I can smell something different."

"Oh, you and your sense of smell. You're gonna be a great tracker, I can tell."

Volga gently punched Ghirahim's shoulder, "Ghira, be serious! It smells like Hylian but it smells like the forest too."

"Somebody help me!"

The two boys glanced at each other and sped deeper into the cave, stopping when they came to a giant boulder. Underneath it was a small blonde boy, several inches smaller than Ghirahim, sobbing in agony, one leg pinned beneath the rock. Immediately, Volga lifted the giant stone from the cavern floor, while Ghirahim pulled the boy from under it. Volga tossed it a short way down the tunnel, where it crashed into a pit. Ghirahim carefully rested the Hylian, who was no more than 7 years old, on the floor beside him. His leg was bent grotesquely out of shape.

Volga opened his wings, "We need to get him to Impa. She can heal him."

"Then let's go!"

The next thing Link knew, after slipping in and out of consciousness, he was lying on a soft cotton bed, something he hadn't felt for two years, white bandages coiled around his broken leg. Blurred faces hovered above him, faces he didn't recognise. They all seemed to be different colours; one red, one white, one yellow and one silver-grey. He shifted, wincing as his leg moved.

"Easy there. Don't move too much or you'll hurt yourself more," the silver one moved closer, holding what he thought was a cup to his lips, "Here. Drink."

From the sound of the voice, the silver face was female. Link's vision slowly cleared, revealing three young males, two being the ones he had seen before, one he didn't know, two with blonde hair, one with white and a red-eyed, snowy-haired woman, much older than them.

"Wha... Where am I?"

"You're in Sheikah Orphanage. I'm Impa, and this is Sheik, my nephew," the blonde boy Link hadn't seen before nodded in greeting, "Volga and Ghirahim," Impa smiled, a braided strand of her hair dangling over her face, "These two found you and brought you here."

Ghirahim perched next to the Hylian's head, "Are you feeling alright? Apart from the leg."

"I have a headache..."

Sheik gently propped Link's head up, "You're dehydrated. That's what's causing the headache."

Link groaned softly. He had been injured before but never like this.

Impa rested the back of her hand on his forehead feeling the heat radiating off him, and placed a damp rag on him, "You'll be bed-bound for at least a month, but I'm sure the other kids won't mind keeping you company, will you boys?"

Ghirahim wrapped an arm around Volga's shoulders, "Sure."

"Am I getting a say in this?" the red-clad boy asked the demon.

"Nope."

"I wasn't going to say no anyway."

Sheik chuckled, "I'll find some time while helping you, Aunt Impa."

Impa smiled, getting up and heading for the door, "I need to sort out dinner. You boys take care of him, OK?"

All three nodded, watching as she left. Ghirahim immediately launched into a huge barrage of questions.

"What's your name? Where so you come from? Why were you in the caves? Where are your parents? What -"

"Ghira, calm down!" Volga laughed one hand on his friend's shoulder.

Link let out a quiet chuckle, "My name's Link."

Sheik replaced the rag on his forehead, "Let me guess your village was attacked and you lived in the forest to protect yourself correct?"

"How'd you know?"

The blonde laughed, "We get kids in that situation all the time."

The whole group laughed, and Ghirahim leaned back so he was practically lying above Link's head.

"Stick with us, Link. You'll be alright."

Months later, when Link's leg had healed, a gift came for him, Volga and Ghirahim. The group had been training out in the field when Sheik had called them over. Impa was stood beside him, carrying three bundles in her arms. The trio ran over, Ghirahim racing Link. Even so, Volga beat them both, letting the air carry him over their heads.

"Cheater!"

"Am not! You never said how we should get here, Ghira!"

"Well, I didn't teleport!"

Link just laughed at his best friends' bickering. The two only did it because both demons and dragons were very powerful species, and they were trying to establish who was in charge.

"Link, Volga, Ghirahim, you've trained well with your practice weapons. You know that swords, shields and other medieval weapons are the only ones people in the outcast tribes have compared to the gunpowder of the Hylian army, and I have decided that you've all grown up enough with proper weapons instead of your sticks and wooden swords, so I have a gift for each of you," Impa carefully unwrapped the first bundle, handing a huge black sword to Ghirahim, "You were born a demon, Ghirahim, and one of your kind, a man named Demise, forged this sword and used it to protect their people. He gave it to one of my ancestors for safekeeping when he knew his subjects weren't under threat, and told them to keep it until another demon came into the care of a Sheikah. Now, I can give it to you, to protect yourself and others from the hatred of the world."

Ghirahim took the sword in both hands, staggering from its weight. He plopped down on the ground with the blade across his knees. It glowed suddenly, shrinking in size until the hilt rested comfortably in his palm.

"It will grow as you grow in strength. You have magic, and the blade of the demons will increase your capabilities. Use it wisely."

The young demon held it up to eye level, "Thank you, Impa."

Sheik carefully unwrapped the second package, watching as his aunt drew out the spear within it. It almost looked like a trident, with three jagged prongs at one end.

"Volga, this Fleshrender Fang spear was made from the bones of your deceased ancestor, the dragon of the mountain, Volvigia. With it, you can master your control over flames and transform yourself into a dragon, just like the ones in the stories I told you."

The dragon took the spear and reacted in almost the same way as Ghirahim did. He stumbled, his wings snapping open to help him stay balanced. Fire wrapped around the spear and Volga, and he transformed into a scarlet dragon that was just about as tall as Ghirahim. He lowered his head in thanks as the two Sheikahs opened the last one, revealing a sword and a shield emblazoned with the symbol of the old Hyrulean Royal Family.

"Link, this is the legendary sword you learned about last week, the Master Sword. Sheik and I have known all our lives that a Hylian hero living in a forest would rise up and save us all from the terror of this world. I have come to realize that hero is you."

"Me? But-" Link stammered, "But I'm just a kid!"

Impa shushed him, "Hush, child. Your destiny won't start for several years, but it is wise to start using your sword in training now. Don't worry. No matter how much you use it, the Master Sword will not be damaged."

Link slowly grasped the hilt, gasping as a rush of energy spiked up his arms. His senses felt sharper, his instincts quicker. He lifted the blade up, holding it above his head.

"Thank you, Impa. I won't let you or anyone else down."

"I know you won't hero."

Volga quickly changed back into a newly-turned eight-year-old smiling. Ghirahim wrapped an arm around their shoulders, drawing the trio into a group hug.

7 years later, destruction followed Link. It attacked at a moment nobody could have anticipated, as cloaked Hylian planes swooped low over the forest. Link, Volga and Ghirahim were training together. Link could fight with most weapons, including the Master Sword, a bow, a boomerang and bombs one of the children had discovered in an abandoned Hylian camp. Ghirahim could teleport all over the place, summoning daggers as he went. Volga could transform into a dragon at will, throw fiery breath from his lips whenever he wanted, call up geysers of flame from the ground. Over the years, Link had taught them all he knew about living in the wild. The whole group were inseparable. Sheik was also very close to Link, but not as close as Volga and Ghirahim. The team were having an 'every man for himself' tournament, and at the time there was no clear victor at all. Sheik had just told them dinner would be in ten minutes and had gone back inside to help Impa with the food. The trio were the only ones outside.

Then the bombs dropped.

The whole orphanage burst into flames as explosion after explosion ripped apart the walls. Gunfire shattered the air. Screams of pain rippled from the flames as children and adults were shot dead. Volga tackled Link and Ghirahim, changing into a dragon and protecting them with his wings. Sheik and Impa staggered from the blazing building. Their clothes were aflame, and Impa yelled to the three teenagers.

"Go to the mountains! You'll be safe there!"

Link picked himself up, "And leave you behind? No!"

"You have to! Save yourselves!" Sheik screamed above the roar of the fire.

"Not without you!" Volga had started to run towards the two Sheikahs, but Impa tossed a smoke bomb towards him, blinding him for a second and making him stumble. Ghirahim grabbed his arm, pulling him away. The demon took hold of Link too, and took one last look at the only home he had ever known, just as the one he considered his mother and her nephew were devoured by the tongues of flame.

Squeezing his eyes shut, letting a tiny tear slide down his face as he and his friends lost everything except each other, Ghirahim teleported the three to the Lost Woods, about halfway to the caverns. There, he collapsed, crying his heart out.

"They're... gone. They're all gone..."

Link gently drew him into his arms, the Master Sword lying on the ground beside him, "I know, Ghira. I know."

Volga knelt beside the pair, wings open to wrap around them. He, too, was crying silently. Ghirahim buried his head in the dragon's shoulder, white hair tousled and tangled. Slowly, the group cried themselves to sleep Link and Ghirahim curled up under Volga's wings.

Several hours later, when the three got up again and had packed everything away, covering their tracks, they set off towards the Eldin Caves hidden within Death Mountain. The remains of the Goron tribe were said to be there, and they hoped to find some sort of sanctuary there. Even if the Gorons had disappeared, there had to be something they could use there. Impa had also told them of the Zora tribe, but since they lived underwater and Volga was nearly allergic to the stuff, they couldn't go there. OK, so Volga wasn't really allergic, it was just that, if he ended up drenched, he would be shivering and weakened for several hours, so instead of showering, he would bathe himself in fire to make all the dirt practically bake and fall off his scales. Ghirahim was too distraught to teleport further, and Volga couldn't fly for fear of being spotted, so their only remaining option was to walk. Link lead the way, making sure they didn't spend too much time in the open. Ghirahim sat on Volga's shoulders as they slowly began to scale the mountain. Eventually, the trio reached Goron City, thankfully unscathed. The rock tribe leader, Darunia, welcomed them with open arms, promising them protection from the Hylian forces.

"My hammer will crush them! And the Bomb Flowers we planted at the entrance will explode when him, so we can block their path and escape through the tunnels! They won't find you with us," he assured them. His son, whom he had named Link after a hero lost in the past, led them through into a cavern they called the Fire Temple - so called as a great dragon named Volvigia had lived there hundreds of years ago. The same Volvigia that was Volga's ancestor. Upon entering, Link and Ghirahim were given clothes that would protect them from the heat. While they changed, Volga found a skull lined with metal.

"That is Volvigia's skull. It was left as a helmet for a dragon warrior who would help save this world from itself. He would be the last of his kind," Darunia explained solemnly, "Take it. For all we know you are the last of your line of dragon knights."

Volga ran a hand over the metal slowly, surprised that Darunia had called him a dragon knight. He was the only one left... alone. Taking a deep breath, he carefully lifted it up and gingerly rested it on his head. He turned, watching Link and Ghirahim jump over the lava surrounding the central platform of rock he was stood on.

"You'll spend most of your time in here. It's the most dangerous cavern for intruders, as the spirit of Volvigia inhabits this room. Angering him or entering forcefully causes boulders to fall from the ceiling and the other rock platforms to randomly fall into the lava. In order to escape this place," Darunia led the group to a hole in the center of pattern of that looked exactly the same as the others in the pattern, "Slide down this hole and you will come out near the base of the mountain. It may be a bit hot on the way down, but thanks to the fire resistant clothing we gave you that won't be a problem. For us, anyway."

Darunia let out a roar of laughter, clapping each of the boys on the shoulder, "May the Goddesses and every other possible deity and spirit watch over you, my friends."

With that, he left, hammer over is shoulder. Link leaned against Volga, curled up against him, wile Ghirahim flopped down to the floor. The dragon gently wrapped them in his wings, drawing them close.

"So what now?"

Ghirahim swiftly summoned one of his swords, "I guess we keep training."

Several months of hiding in Goron City later, Darunia barreled into the cavern, startling all three.

"Quickly, down the tunnel! The hunters tracked you and they're almost through the Bomb Flower barricade already," he leaped over the lava, hammer raised as he faced the entrance, "I'll guard. They'll have to get through me to get to you."

Ghirahim stood over the hole, "The biggest and heaviest of us should go first, so we don't crus each other at the bottom. Volga, that's you."

"What exactly do you mean by biggest?!"

"I'm saying that, because you're a dragon, you're naturally heavy."

"Fine," strapping his spear to his back, the dragon knight slid down into the tunnel. Ghirahim quickly followed and Link dived after him. Darunia had been right about the temperature, but none of them spontaneously combusted on the way down. The group slid out of the tunnel into a cave near the base of the mountain, almost colliding with a stalagmite hiding the hole. Volga gently helped the other two up.

"Come on. We should go before they catch us."

Together, the trio headed for the cave entrance, unaware of the guns waiting for them. Men and women in blue and silver armor had hidden themselves outside the cavern. One female carried a bottle of chemical napalm, ready to throw it at the three fugitives. She leaped out, gun raised at the three, her helmet slipping off in the process.

"Zelda?"

Link stumbled back, shocked. He had grown up alongside Zelda, in the same village. In fact, they had been best friends since birth. To see her now, carrying a gun pointed straight at his face, it was... almost too much.

"Link. You were always the neutral one, weren't you?"

"Zelda, why are you doing this?"

The blonde-haired teen scowled, gun cocked at the group, the sun slowly setting behind her.

"The Hylian world is threatened by these different people. The Zoras, the Gorons, the Sheikah, the Skull Kids, the Twili, the Kokiri, the demons, the dragons, the Gerudo, we're all threatened by them, Link? The only way to ensure our protection is to get rid of them all."

Link started to grow angry, something that had never happened to him before; he could hear Volga snarling at Zelda already. Ghirahim was withholding his magic in an attempt to stop the battle.

"Do you honestly think that, Zelda? The only reason they're seen as threats is because they're different. The Kokiri are children, for Din's sake! They're not fighters!"

"Have you ever seen a Kokiri, Link?"

"Yes. Have you, Zelda?" Link countered.

The golden-haired woman fell silent, the gun shaking in her grip. The soldiers behind her were faltering as well. Link stared her down, Volga and Ghirahim behind him. Together, they faced part of the Hyrulean army in all its glory. None of the three boys actually wanted to fight, but they would if they had to. Zelda slowly regained her composure, and didn't lower her weapon.

"Be that as it may, the other tribes are still threats to our peaceful lives -"

"They are not! They're not warlike, Zelda! I grew up among them after our home was destroyed. I know what they're like," Link growled, sword clenched in his grip, "They don't want a war. I was raised from seven by two Sheikahs who died right int front of us because of the judgement the Hylians have made against them! Why can't you see how blind you're being?"

"You're the one who's blind, Link. Their kind are deadly and must be destroyed if we are to stay safe," the hand holding the jar of napalm tensed, prepared to throw. Volga instinctively pulled his friends behind him. Link glared at Zelda over his shoulder.

"If that's what being a Hylian is all about, then I'm not one."

The woman's face didn't change, "I thought as much. Goodbye, Link."

Tossing the jar towards the trio, Zelda watched as the lid slipped off and the contents immediately caught fire. Volga threw his wings wide, protecting Ghirahim and Link. The former held the latter tight. Smirking, the blonde female turned away, satisfied with her work. She started to lead her troops away, suddenly stopping in her tracks when a low growl halted her.

"A word to the wise, princess. Never try to fight a fire dragon with fire."

Ghirahim teleported through the flames, Link holding tight to him, while Volga simply walked straight through them. Immediately, the troop open-fired on them, which Ghirahim blocked with a diamond barrier. Side by side, the three walked, through the bullets, until they were face to face with their enemy,

"Zelda, why can't you see what you're doing is wrong?"

"For me, its's right. Our friendship is over, Link."

Link scowled, "You think that upsets me? After what you just did? You're wrong. And if this is the way the Hyrulean Royal Family treats the non-Hylian tribes, they can go ahead and banish me right now, because I am no Hylian if that's what they think!"

Volga blew fire at a group of soldiers aiming their guns at Link, scorching them. Ghirahim flung several daggers at the ones out of the flames' range, the force blowing many off their feet. Link's sword and shield were raised as he faced his childhood friend.

"I'm sorry I have to do this, Zelda."

"I'm not."

A bullet shot past Link's head and he rushed forward, Master Sword in hand. Zelda drew her rapier - her favourite weapon from her childhood - and met him in battle. Their blades clashed, and Link shoved her backward. She reloaded her gun, firing several times. Each time, she missed; she was panicking.

Link took a few steps back, fitted an arrow to his bow and held it to a smoldering pile of grass, setting the head alight. Holding back the tears, he pulled it back and loosed it, sending it straight into Zelda's stomach. The world seemed to mute except for her wail of pain as her flesh caught fire, and he turned away, insides churning at his own actions. Ghirahim teleported over to him and gently wrapped an arm around him, holding him close as the tears fell. Volga blew fire at the remaining soldiers, forcing them to flee, terrified of the dragon's power. Link sobbed into Ghirahim's shoulder, clinging to him.

"It's going to be OK. We're here."

Volga landed behind Link, dropping his spear and carefully opening his wings to cover the other two. Ghirahim quickly pulled Link into the safety of the shelter. One look at the Hylian boy reminded the three of them exactly what they were.

Three teenagers, not even full adults yet, trapped in a world of destruction and death, a world they didn't belong in.


	3. Link, Volga, Ghirahim Part 2

Somewhere in a crowd of cheering Hylians, three men stood, each with a weapon strapped to their back, a cloak covering their armor and faces, and several hundred soldiers of various tribes waiting for their command, hidden away.

The tallest of the three, clothed in scarlet metal plates and black fabric, a spear made of the bones of one of his own kind hanging between his right shoulder and left thigh, a metal-lined dragon skull covering his head as a helmet, soot and ash lining his face, mainly around his eyes, scales shimmering over his skin, a fire in his heart ready to explode when he willed it to.

Another, slightly shorter than the first, clad in white, red and gold, rapier on his hip, huge demon sword on his spine, daggers waiting to be summoned from thin air, magic tingling at his fingertips. A single snap of his gloved fingers could kill.

Finally, the third, smaller than the other two by far, a green tunic over chainmail protecting his torso brown leggings and boots over his feet and legs. A legendary blade rested on his back, covered by a shield of blue, red, gold and silver; several smaller weapons hung from his belt, like a hookshot and a bag of bombs. A bow and quiver of arrows were slung over his shoulder, concealed by his cloak.

All three wore the same expression: angry yet calm, tense yet at peace, fierce yet serene. Volga, Link and Ghirahim stood together, ready to start the battle that would end the war of Hyrule. However, they were still teenagers, not even full adults yet, trapped in a world of destruction and death, a world they didn't belong in.

It had been a long rough road to get to this. To even find every tribe to unite them had been enough of a challenge, but to convince them after hiding for so long as well was incredibly difficult. For example, the Zoras, who lived in Lake Hylia in the south-east of Hyrule, obviously lived underwater, meaning Volga couldn't go with Link and Ghirahim. Instead, he returned to Death Mountain, flew through the cave the trio had escaped through, where Link had been forced to kill his childhood friend, and had spoken with Darunia, asking for the exact same thing as Link and Ghirahim were asking the Zoras for: aid in the war to bring the oppression to an end.

The Goron leader had agreed almost immediately, his people raring to avenge their fallen comrades. The Zoras, however, weren't as easy to convince. Their leader, Queen Ruto, who was barely older than the teens, didn't want to lose any more of her people to the Hyrulean hatred. She was against even speaking to Link because he was a Hylian himself. It was only when Ghirahim had explained their experiences with the Hylian forced had she agreed to listen to their proposal. In return for their alliance, the Zoras would be free from the hunters as soon as the war was won. If they allowed the discrimination to continue, more of their kind would die than would in the attack. Eventually, Queen Ruto agreed and started to prepare her soldiers for battle while Link, Ghirahim and Volga moved on to the Skull Kids and the Kokiri.

The faceless and nameless Skull Kids were difficult to reason with. They were mischievous and asked far too many questions. In fact, they had nearly got the three lost in the woods; had the Kokiri not found them, they would have been trapped there for the rest of their lives. The Kokiri tribe weren't fighters, but they were powerful healers, and their home in the enchanted Lost Woods was quickly changed into a base for the Resistance, as the tribes were beginning to be called. The leader of the ageless Kokiri, Saria, spoke with the Skull Kids, gaining their allegiance with a song she had written. Their slightly berserk nature would either be the savior or the downfall of them all.

From there, Volga and Link went on to Gerudo Desert while Ghirahim headed to the graveyard of Kakariko Village, using his magic to make himself look like a Hylian, only revealing himself when he was within the last of the Sheikah. When he explained that he had been raised by Impa, who, incidentally, had been their leader, they instantly agreed to join forces, and used hidden portals between the domains to reach the camp on the same day, leading the other tribes there as well. Meanwhile, Link had been captured by the Gerudo, an all-female tribe with a male leader, Ganondorf, and Volga was searching for a way to get him out without being shot by the archers. Imprisoned in a small cell just because he was male, Link asked his jailer, a woman named Nabooru, if he could speak with Ganondorf - sorry, His Majesty, Lord Ganondorf - and he would leave immediately after, taking Volga with him. It took a lot of repeated begging before she finally gave in and let him meet with her leader. During the meeting with Ganondorf, he explained their intentions and exactly what would happen if they won the war: the Gerudo would be a free tribe once again. In order to make sure neither would go back on their word, each took a blood oath, pressing their bleeding palms together, bonding them as blood brothers, and Link left as the only Hylian accepted as a Gerudo, completely unharmed except for the sewn-up cut on his hand. He explained to Volga what had happened and they left once more.

As Volga was the last of his kind, he and Ghirahim ventured to the Sealed Grounds, a place hidden from most, where only a demon or someone with peaceful intentions towards the demon tribe could enter. Link used the Mirror of Twilight to try and venture into the Twilight Realm, where he was instantly captured and brought before the leaders of the Twili: Midna and Zant. When questioned, he explained the threats of the Hylians and how they thought everyone different to themselves was dangerous and had to be destroyed, including the Twili, though no Twili alive had ever been to the Light Realm. Enraged, Zant had quickly promised Link the loyalty of every Twili fighter they had to spare. They would conceal themselves in the shadows and the combined power of the Twilight King and Queen would allow them to take on a physical form and fight alongside them. Ghirahim, on the other hand, was welcomed into the demon tribe with open arms, as was Volga, as he meant no harm. The last demons listened intently to everything the pair had to say, calling Ghirahim the 'Demon Lord of the Surface' and immediately agreed to fight with them.

So here they were, watching as the Hylian King, Daphnes Bosphoramus Hyrule, gave a speech on how they were to wipe out all other races and bring Hyrule into perfect order. Link lifted an arm into the air slowly, blending in with the cheering crowd perfectly, and clenched his fist. Instantly, arrows flew from the hidden troops, hitting the stage King Daphnes stood upon with a dull thunk; several grazed him, but none actually hit him. The ones that struck the platform released Sheikah smoke bombs, covering the whole thing in a white haze that seeped into the crowd, making many of them cough and splutter. Volga darted to the edge of the throng, nodding to each small army of warriors and giving them the command to attack. Ghirahim teleported with Link up onto the stage and sent a dagger flying at King Daphnes, who dodged.

"What the -"

"This war must end!" Link yelled, "Give up now, Daphnes, and nobody will be wounded."

The Hylian King threw back his head and laughed, turning to the crowd, "See, this is one of the reasons why we must bring the other tribes under our control, or rid this world of them altogether! They are violent creatures who resort to only death and destruction to solve their problems!"

"No, they are not!" Link lifted his voice over the cries of rage from the other tribes, the smoke bombs clearing around him, "I am a Hylian who grew up among the other tribes. The Hyrulean army destroyed my home and killed my family when I was five years old. I lived in a forest for two years before a dragon knight and a demon saved my life from a rockslide that trapped me. They became my best friends as I grew up with them, and seven years later, our home in an orphanage was bombed. We were the only survivors. We were hunted across Hyrule and barely escaped with our lives when we were attacked by my childhood friend Zelda, whom I was forced to kill because it was a kill or be killed situation."

"Zelda? The Zelda that grew up in Ordon Village?" Daphnes questioned, hauling his scarlet-robed body from the wood of the stage.

"Yes. That's where I grew up."

"Zelda was my daughter. I sent her, her mother and her runt of a brother to Ordon Village to defend them against the other tribes."

Link gasped, a hand clapped over his mouth, "Then she..."

"Yes. You killed the princess of Hyrule. I care nothing for her brother, but she... she was invaluable."

Link's face paled dramatically. He faltered, staggering backwards and bumping into Ghirahim, who gently caught him and lifted him back up onto his feet. Glancing around, he realised each demon had disappeared.

"And the punishment for killing a member of the royal family is death. A life for a life, though she was worth far more than you," A wicked grin spawned over the King's features, "So to compensate, how about we take three lives instead of one?"

Volga landed beside his brothers already braced for battle, "What are you talking about?"

"The lives of the three ringleaders should do, don't you think?"

Immediately, soldiers sprang onto the stage, several of them carrying buckets. Volga took a deep breath about to breathe a stream of fire at them, but before he could, they tossed a torrent of water on him, soaking him to the bone. Instantly, the dragon collapsed against Link, coughing up the liquid, his fire doused. Furious, Ghirahim charged at Daphnes, demon blade in hand. A beam of light shot from the sword at the King's hip, pushing him down as a woman, wearing only blue and purple, pressed her knee into his back. The green-clad boy was about to attack, when three soldiers tackled him from behind and pinned him to the ground, disarming him.

"Coward! Fight me man to man, not with your soldiers!" Link roared, almost mimicking Volga.

"I've heard enough. Take them to the cells and kill their little army. Fi, make sure they don't escape."

The blue woman, Fi, nodded. The Hylian boy turned and yelled to his troops.

"Run!"

Each one turned tail and fled, dodging arrows and swords as they ran for the tunnels they had used to get into Castle Town as all three of their leaders were hauled away into the castle.

Each of the teens were tossed into separate cells each one tailored to their weaknesses. Volga's was flooded, and he stood up to his chest in the water. Ghirahim was exposed to divine light, created by Fi, in a room made of mirrors, forcing him to curl up in a corner and try to shade himself. Link, however, was trapped in complete darkness, chained to the wall. His head hung low and he wept for his best friends. He could clearly hear Volga clawing at the walls of his prison, trying to climb the smooth stone to escape the water controlling his power, and Ghirahim whimpering in pain from the light gnawing away at him. Link curled in on himself, knees to his chest. They were all going to be executed at dawn.

By the time dawn came, all three boys were barely strong enough to stay awake. Throughout the night, they had been woken by the pain inflicted by their cells and the agonised cries of their partners. The constant thump of drums in the distance counted down the seconds to their deaths.

Several soldiers pushed open the door to Link's cell, hauling him to his feet and shackling his hands together. He didn't resist. They shoved him into the corridor of the dungeon; he didn't resist. They forced him to walk towards his death; he didn't resist. He watched as Volga was washed out of his waterlogged cage and towed like a dog on a leash until he was beside the Hylian boy. Ghirahim stumbled into line on Link's right, his platinum hair messy, strands falling across his face. They were each shackled before pushed forward, stumbling.

The drums grew louder, and sunlight blinded all three. Three nooses hung at different heights for each teen. They were lead over to the gallows, the ancient punishment casting a dark, heavy atmosphere over the crowd. None of them spoke.

"Do you, Link of the Hylians, Volga of the dragons, or Ghirahim of the demons, have any last words?" King Daphnes' voice echoed over the throng.

"I do," Ghirahim spoke up, acknowledging the crowd before opening his mouth again, "I want you all to remember this: your Hylian King is having a Hylian man, well, barely even a Hylian teenager, executed because of a disagreement. I can understand myself and Volga being killed because of how dangerous we may be, but Link doesn't have any magical abilities like we do. He's no different to any of you. The only reason he was able to lead us like this was because he was good with a sword and he has enough courage to stand up for himself and his friends. Personally, I probably would have died a thousand times over if he hadn't saved my life. He never took a life without reason, none of us did. He never wanted to kill Zelda. Link shouldn't be killed just because he was trying to survive and bring peace. Take my life by all means, but let Link go."

Volga and Link watched with wide eyes as Ghirahim addressed the crowd. The demon was willing to give up his life for his best friend. Volga didn't speak; he only nudged Link gently with his shoulder and smiled sadly at him. Looking out over the crowd, all three boys could tell some of them were knocked by Ghirahim's words. They shifted nervously, reconsidering their hatred. Out of nowhere, a loud, screeching roar echoed over the heads of every person in the area. Two reptilian, two-legged creatures stood on one of the rooftops of Castle Town, others looking just like them only smaller filling the streets. Demons, Zoras, Gorons, Gerudo women, Sheikahs, Skull Kids, Twili, even Kokiri children, stood among them, the tribes united as one. Several Hylian men and women, as well as children, lined the very edges, clearly influenced by both Link's words from the previous day and Ghirahim's as well.

The two reptilian leaders both breathed out a stream of flames, engulfing Volga in fire. A demon, along with Queen Ruto herself, appeared behind the three boys. Ruto used her scaled fist, strengthen by water enchantments, to snap Link's bonds in two, as the demon did the same to Ghirahim.

"I apologize for my earlier rudeness. I misjudged you. If I had known what each of you possess, I would have accepted you much earlier."

"What we possess?" Link squinted at her, confused.

"Look at your left hands."

Volga, now completely back to full strength, took his spear from one of the reptilian creatures, who hissed "Master" as he did so. They had introduced themselves as the Lizalfos and Dinolfos Chieftains. The dragon knight froze as he saw the triangles on the back of his left hand.

"Is that... what I think it is?"

"The Triforce..." Ghirahim whispered. The triangle on the bottom right of his symbol was brighter than the others.

"Power, wisdom and courage..." Link muttered, staring at the bottom left triangle.

All around them, the battle raged on, members of every tribe fighting the Hylian soldiers. However, none of them noticed; they were too engrossed in the fact that Link, Volga and Ghirahim each bore a piece of the Triforce.

"You know what this means," Link looked at the other two, his fist clenched. The Lizalfos Chieftain handed the Master Sword and the demon blade back to their owners. Together, the three young men brought their hands close, and the Triforce pieces were united, just like the tribes.

The three triangles rose up high above the whole group, earning a loud cry of "NO!" from King Daphnes Bosphoramus Hyrule. Pure light shone down over Hyrule, parting the clouds of hatred. The demons and Ganondorf were protected by shields of purple light. The golden glow of the Triforce lit up the land, illuminating everything.

Energy tore through King Daphnes, leaving him frazzled and ragged. He fell to his knees on the stage, facing the three.

"How could you... you couldn't possibly... The Triforce belongs to the royal family of Hyrule..."

One of the Sheikah females, who resembled both Impa and Sheik, stepped out of the crowd, "One piece still does."

"What?"

The woman climbed up onto the wooden platform, "My name is Paya. Impa was - is - my sister, and Sheik was my son. Before Link lived in Ordon Village, I raised him, disguised as a Hylian, in the castle, as the second child of the King and Queen of Hyrule."

King Daphnes spluttered, "He was a runt, weak and not fit to rule my kingdom. I wanted nothing to do with him, so I sent him to another family in Ordon Village, a poorer one than Zelda, leaving him on the... Oh," he stopped, realising his mistake. Link stared at him.

"I'm glad I didn't grow up in Hyrule Castle. I would never call you my father," disgusted, the Hylian prince growled.

"What will you do, son? Have me executed? Murdered?"

A humorless laugh exploded from Link's throat, "No. I'm not like you. I will never be like you, so I won't kill you."

A smirk spread over King Daphnes' face, "That just proves you're weak."

Link remained calm, "No. It only proves that, unlike you, I'm merciful. I can't exactly say the same for Ghirahim and Volga, however."

Dragon and demon advanced, weapons raised. Daggers pierced the king's robe, pinning him down as fire started creeping up the stage towards him.

"And to be honest, I can't say I blame them," Link turned away, facing the crowd and lifted his sword into the air as Daphnes screamed, "Control your mongrels!"

"They aren't mongrels, nor are they mine to control."

With a final shriek, King Daphnes Bosphoramus Hyrule was no more, and Volga and Ghirahim joined Link in front of the crowd, which was full of yells and cries of triumph. Some were even shouting "Long live King Link!" at the top of their voices. The three looked at each other the hands holding the Triforces pieces connected and a wish was made.

"Heal the wounds of this world."

The injuries of all were healed, and the dead Hylian soldiers were brought back to life, reunited with their families. Several flashes of white light blinded everyone, and hundreds of persecuted and murdered from every tribe, including dragon knights, were brought back too. Embraced in each others' arms, Link, Volga and Ghirahim all zeroed in on two familiar faces.

"Impa!"

"Sheik!"

The two Sheikah leaped up onto the stage and pull all three unto a huge group hug. Tears were shed as they all wrapped their arms around each other.

"We're so proud of you."

Several weeks later, each male, young as they were, was named leader of their tribe, and they brought Hyrule into prosperity once more.


End file.
